Minimum wage in Kentucky in 2026
The minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 an hour in 2026, the same as the federal minimum wage. No increase is scheduled. Kentucky follows the federal rate, which has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
Checked against official sources.
Kentucky minimum wage at a glance
- An hour
- $7.25
- A week, 40 hours
- $290.00
- A year, 2,080 hours
- $15,080
- Tipped cash wage
- $2.13before tips
In effect since . A year means 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, before taxes.
Tipped workers
Employers in Kentucky can pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 an hour in cash and count up to $5.12 an hour in tips toward the $7.25 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must.
Kentucky minimum wage by year
| Year | Rate on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $7.25 |
| 2023 | $7.25 |
| 2024 | $7.25 |
| 2025 | $7.25 |
| 2026 | $7.25 |
Kentucky law sets $7.25 and rises automatically if the federal rate does. Kentucky reached $7.25 on July 1, 2009, a few weeks before the federal raise.
No. Since 2017, Kentucky law does not let local governments require a certain wage.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Kentucky in 2026?
The minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 an hour in 2026, the same as the federal minimum wage. No increase is scheduled. Kentucky follows the federal rate, which has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
How much is minimum wage a year in Kentucky?
At $7.25 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week earns $290.00 a week and $15,080 a year before taxes.
What is the minimum wage for tipped workers in Kentucky?
Employers in Kentucky can pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 an hour in cash and count up to $5.12 an hour in tips toward the $7.25 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must.
When does the minimum wage go up in Kentucky?
No increase is scheduled. Kentucky follows the federal rate, which has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009. Kentucky law sets $7.25 and rises automatically if the federal rate does. Kentucky reached $7.25 on July 1, 2009, a few weeks before the federal raise.
Can cities in Kentucky set a higher minimum wage?
No. Since 2017, Kentucky law does not let local governments require a certain wage.
Minimum wage in other Southern states
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the official pages below. Checked .
- KRS 337.275, Minimum wage, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
- KRS 65.016, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
- State Minimum Wage Laws, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wage, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Laws change. If your pay is below these rates, contact your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243.